Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-09-24
NEW YORK PLATFORM.


WHEREAS, Realizing the necessity of
vigilance and united action, the
various Trade Organizations of the city
New York have established a representa-
tive body known as the Central Labor
Union; and
WHEREAS, Their declared purpose, in
so doing, was ''to assist each other in all
struggles, political and Industrial"
against the encroachments of capital
istic oligarchy. hostile to Labor and de-
structive of American liberty; and
WHEREAS, We hold with the Central
Labor Union:
/. "That the soil of every country is
the social and common inheritance of
the people"
2. THAT Labor produces all wealth."
which includes the instruments through
which alone the forces of nature become
accessible.
3. THAT all should" therefore, "have
free access to land" and to the instru-
ments of production, without tribute
to landlords and monopolists.'
4. THAT there can be no harmony
between Capital and Labor under the
present industrial SYSTEM" which either
dwarfs or suppresses individual develop
ment by denying to the masses of the
American people their inalienable right
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
ness.
5. "That the emancipation of the
working classes must be achieved by the
working classes themselves through
''the establishment" as demanded by
the Knights of Labor, "of cooperative
institutions, such as will tend to super
sede the wage-system by the introduce
ton of a cooperative industrial SYSTEM"
and
WHEREAS, The Central Labor Union,
in pursuance of its object, has on several
occasions, and notably last year, entered
the political field; but
WHEREAS, The political agency of its
own creation has been perverted in it's
aims, adulterated in its composition,
and converted into despotic ring by
the very candidate whom it had most
honored and trusted; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, representatives of
Organized Labor in convention assem-
bled, reatfirm the platforms of the Cen
trail Labor Union and the knights of
Labor.
Resolved, That for the furtherance of
the great American movement of the
masses against the classes upon it's natur-
al lines, we constitute ourselves into an
independent political body, under the
name of Progressive Labor Party" to
be primarily and permanently controlled
by the bona tide labor organizations,
wage-workers and producers, of the city,
of the State, and of the United States,
through their accredited representatives
Resolved, That with a view to the i'm.
mediate relief of the people by the cor
rection of garing abuses and the sup
preston OF odlous wrongs, we first de-
mand:
That eight hours constitute a days
work.
Prohibition of child-labor in all occu-
pations.
Prohibition of female labor in occupa-
tons detrimental to health or morality.
Equal pay to both sexes for equal work.
Payment of wages weekly, in lawful
money, and no more "truck" pay.
First lien for workmen's wages.
The enactment of juster laws for the
liability of employers to employees
Abolition of the contract system in
prisons and on public works.
Sweeping reform of the tenement
house system.
Abolition of tenement-house cigar
making and all other tenement-house
manufacturing.
Sanitary inspection of mines, factories,
| 1wpilinpc and oil condition, ~ I,l
Rigid enforcement of the law prohibit
ing the importation of foreign labor I'M
der contract.
Rigid enforcement of all existing bene-
fetal labor laws. q
Equal adult citizenship and suffrage,
without regard to sex.
Repeal of all blue laws.
Repeal of all conspiracy laws, tramp
laws, and all class legislation and priv,
leges.
No Pinkertons; no armed bandits in
the pay of capital.
Resofred, That with view to progress
sive advance in the direction marked ont
by the above declaration of princples.
we furthermore demand:
The public ownership and manage
ment of railroads, telegraphs. EXPRESS
and steamship lines, telephones, gas and
water works, and all industries involving
the use of public franchises, or the per.
Torrance of public functions.
The direct issue of currency and money
by the national Treasury, without the
Intervention of banks.
And as first step to the recovery of
the natural inheritance of the people, we
favor special tax on unimproved land.
sufficiently high to compel its improve
ment or Its surrender to the community
by the spectators who withhold it from
use.